Redefining Roles: Shifting perceptions of suitability to increase women's representation in men-dominated jobs
This case study describes how Kudura Power East Africa (KPEA) successfully changed people’s views on women working in field-based and technical jobs. In 2023, KPEA launched an ambitious expansion plan in Kenya that would require growing its workforce from 35 to 150 employees within 3 to 4 years. KPEA wanted to achieve this growth largely by increasing women’s representation in its workforce. However, KPEA struggled to attract women for these roles, primarily due to prevailing beliefs that women weren’t interested in or suited for field-based and technical jobs.
With technical advisory from Value for Women, KPEA took bold steps to tackle these challenges. KPEA implemented a 3-pronged approach to reduce hiring biases and actively encouraged women to apply for positions traditionally seen as men-dominated.
The results were inspiring. KPEA significantly and effectively changed employees' and community perceptions about women’s ability and interest in field and technical roles, leading to an increased number of applications from women.
KPEA’s experience shows that taking small, deliberate actions to increase gender inclusion in roles traditionally deemed masculine can ultimately have outsized impact and create a virtuous
cycle shifting social and gender norms. While each organization faces unique challenges, this case study provides practical insights and tips for companies aiming to shift perceptions and increase gender diversity in their workforce.
Renée is a Portfolio Lead with Value for Women. She oversees, manages and delivers a global portfolio of innovative gender and business projects, working with impact investors, businesses, and entrepreneurial ecosystem actors. Renée brings to her work a background in financial and digital inclusion, innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems, along with a passion for supporting women’s empowerment. She has previously worked with Cenfri as Project Lead for the i2i Facility in South Africa, as well as with Divitel in the Netherlands.
Yvonne delivers technical assistance services to support small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurial ecosystem actors to take a gender lens to their day-to-day work. She brings to her work a background in social enterprise management, last-mile distribution and entrepreneurial ecosystems – including seven years of experience managing social enterprises in developing countries – along with a passion for supporting women’s empowerment throughout businesses and value chains.
Shoshana is an Advisor – Knowledge Management & Communications at Value for Women. Shoshana oversees product conceptualization and technical writing for the organization's publications, ranging from research and evaluation reports to case studies and podcasts. Shoshana brings over 15 years of international development experience in both leadership and field positions across sectors, notably with the Inter-American Development Bank, Danone, Chemonics, TechnoServe and local non-governmental organizations.
Sophia drives project implementation and management for Value for Women advisory projects. She is a versatile and resilient professional, bringing a global perspective to problem-solving and communicating with diverse stakeholders, and has a proven record of ensuring high-quality, measurable results are achieved for Value for Women clients.
